A former Newcastle United prospect is one of four men who has been banned from every football stadium in the UK for a three year period.
Disorder flared shortly before Newcastle United's game against Chelsea on November 12 last year when a fight broke out between rival supporters outside the Black and White Bull on Barrack Road. Officers from Northumbria Police immediately launched an investigation and four men have now been issued with football banning orders, which will stop them from attending any regulated football match in the UK for the next three years.
Magistrates in Newcastle also agreed to additional strict conditions, including the quartet being banned from being within a designated radius of St. James' Park on matchdays and not being within a mile of an away ground in England and Wales where a game involving Newcastle or England is being played.
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One of the men, Andrew Ferrell, 39, of Newburn, rose through the Newcastle United academy ranks alongside Michael Chopra. Though he never made a first team appearance, he went on to play for a series of teams in the lower leagues and managed Bedlington Terriers.
He previously spoke to ChronicleLive about turning his life around after getting caught-up in a drug-dealing ring to feed his gambling addiction.
The others banned were Thomas Jennison, 21, of North Shields; Ryan Walton, 32, of Blakelaw; and Liam Webster, 39, of Kenton. Detective Inspector Gilliant Beecroft of Northumbria Police said she was pleased that banning orders had been secured against the four men.
She said: "The overwhelming majority of football fans in the North East are a credit to the clubs they support as well as the region as a whole. However, before this particular game, the behaviour of a small minority of supporters was totally unacceptable.
"This type of violent incident will simply not be tolerated. We hope that the banning orders handed down act as a warning to anyone thinking of taking part in disorder. You will be identified and brought before the courts to face the consequences of your actions."
Officers are continuing to work to identify anybody else involved in the disorder.
Anyone with information regarding the disorder before the Newcastle vs Chelsea game should contact police via the 'Tell Us Something' on the Northumbria Police website, or by calling 101 and quoting log NP-20221112-0645. Alternatively, email football.intelligence.mailbox@northumbria.pnn.police.uk.
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